


Your Icy Heart

by rocknrolleigns (simpleandpure22)



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Boss/Employee Relationship, Fake Dating, M/M, Mild enemies to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-02-16 20:44:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18698821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simpleandpure22/pseuds/rocknrolleigns
Summary: All Seth Rollins wants is do his job well. Even after being newly assigned to Drew McIntyre, who's cold and mean, and intimidating. With a heart made of solid ice. Then something happens and he has to pretend to be dating Drew.As beautiful as he is, how can Seth convince anyone he's in love with a man he can't stand?





	1. Moral of the Story

**Author's Note:**

> I finally started this. :D I've missed writing a longer fic, which I hadn't done since Come and Go. And I really love boss/employee relationship and fake dating tropes, so combining them in a fic should be a lot of fun. Not sure how many chapters this one will have, but I reckon not more than ten.
> 
> Hope you like it! <3

One more minute.

Seth moves the phone to his other ear, doing his best not to zone out. He’s used to ramblings and chatters, monotone or grating voice you name it, it’s a part of his job. But it’s like Evan Bourne’s voice is specifically made to put him to sleep. _And_ he doesn’t know when to shut up.

“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about it. Drew’s fully booked this week,” Seth cuts him off, not as polite as he was ten minutes ago. “He’ll see you on Thursday.” Seth’s boss is a very busy man, that much is true. He also won’t give Mr. Bourne more time than necessary, but of course the guy has no idea.

Bourne lets out a loud huff that shoots through Seth’s ear, making him wince. “He’s a hard man to get in touch with. Hasn’t even answered my emails.”

There are eight of them to be exact—Seth didn’t even forward them to Drew. They’re all pointless questions that will be answered in the meeting. Drew receives up to four hundred emails per day, and though not all of them need to be replied, they all must be read. So it’s Seth’s job to screen the emails, only passing him the important ones.

“All your questions will be answered in the meeting,” Seth tells him firmly. The minute is almost up, it won’t be impolite to end the call now. Seth has endured—he glances at the clock—enough phonecall torture since eight thirty from Mr. Sandow, Rodriguez, DiBiase, and now Bourne. All of them are on Drew’s ‘ _don’t bother unless I absolutely have no choice_ ’ list. Seth will run out of excuses very soon.

“Have a nice day, sir,” Seth says again before hanging up. _Fucking finally_. He leans back on his chair to breathe, hearing nothing but silence. Apart from the ticking clock on the wall.

He’s been here for some time and still not used to this odd tranquility. Office floors are supposed to be buzzing with noises, chaos, people talking loudly on the phone inside their cramped cubicles. It’s what he’s familiar with, and his old department (Legal Finance) was exactly like that. Until he moved here six weeks ago. This entire floor only have six offices, one of them being Seth’s small one adjacent to Drew’s huge one.

William Regal, the CEO, and his assistant Paige occupy the two offices next door. And the last ones belong to two senior partners who are only here once or twice a month.

Seth could open the connecting door and talk to Paige, which he does when the silence becomes unbearable, but there’s only so much the two of them can talk about all day. Besides, she and William aren’t always here; half the time they’re in the London headquarters.

Another glance at the clock tells him it’s eight minutes into his lunch break. Well, big deal, it’s nothing new. He exhales and pushes himself up from the chair. Time to face the music. The sooner he does this, the sooner he can go. His knuckles tap lightly against the elegant wooden door, then he waits for two seconds before opening it and slipping inside.

The spacious room is just as nice as the door. It’s modern and understated, yet sophisticated with the combination of the white wall, beige furniture, and black panels on the windows. The big glass on two sides of the wall shows an abundant view of the New York City skyline, which from the sixty-seventh floor looks nothing short of breathtaking. Thank God Seth isn’t afraid of heights.

Drew is sitting behind his desk, gaze fixed on the laptop screen as he types. His blue pinstripe tie is slightly loosened around his neck, and his navy suit jacket hangs on the back of his leather chair. Apart from that he looks as put together as usual, not even one strand of hair is out of place.

“Yeah?” He keeps typing away.

Like everyone else in the company, Seth can name twenty other things he’d rather do than be alone with Drew McIntyre. Unfortunately, as Drew’s personal assistant it’s something he can’t avoid.

“Mr. Bourne called again, demanding to talk to you. I told him everything will be answered in the meeting but he didn’t listen. Sure he’ll call again tomorrow.”

Drew finally stops typing. He looks up and his blue eyes are locked on Seth’s.

Seth feels his heartbeat quicken as he’s trying not to flinch. _Come on,_ it’s been six weeks. He’s supposed to have gotten used to this by now. Seth’s not one to be easily intimidated by anyone, he really isn’t. But there’s just something about Drew that makes him uneasy. People say blue eyes are cold. In Drew’s case they’re not just cold. They’re icy, and totally capable of freezing anything in their way.

“He’ll get that one meeting. That’s it. I’m not wasting more time on him,” Drew replies, averting his gaze back to the screen, much to Seth’s relief.

 _So I thought._ “You’re not the one having to listen to him every morning,” Seth mutters, before he can stop himself. There’s only so much Evan Bourne’s rambling he can take in a week.

“Is basic phone correspondence bothering you?” Drew’s voice is dangerously frosty. And his eyes are back on Seth.

He should’ve known the relief would be short-lived. “No. Of course not.” Seth takes a step away. “Right, I’m going for lunch. Do you want anything?”

“Just coffee.” Drew is back to his efficient typing even as he speaks.

His usual coffee—roasted black—which suits him perfectly (because the coffee maker in the pantry isn’t good enough). Seth can’t picture him drinking fancy lattes with some leaf or heart pattern on top. It sounds so absurd. He steals a glance at Drew’s profile, at his straight nose, neatly trimmed beard on his strong jaw, and a dimple that appears as he purses his lips in concentration. Seth’s not blind, he knows Drew is gorgeous. But he’s also unreachable and heartless—if he had a heart it must be made of pure ice. His old boss Randy isn’t the friendliest person in the world either, but compared to Drew he’s an angel.

How Seth misses working for him.

“Is there anything else or are you expecting a typing course?”

The voice shakes him from his reverie. Seth blinks, realizing he’s had his eyes on Drew the whole time. _Crap._ “No.” He turns around and hurriedly leaves the room, back to the security of his office. One day, Drew McIntyre will stop making him feel this way. _One day_.

He’s just about to lock his computer when the door that connects his office and Paige’s opens, and her head peeks out. She and William arrived from London yesterday.

“Late for lunch again, babe?” she asks, opening the door fully.

“When was I ever not, since I moved here?” He lets out a sigh. Getting promoted from the account manager’s assistant to the COO’s personal assistant is career advancement; no doubt about it. The salary is better, and Seth can really use the money. But the workload is also a lot heavier, because Randy, for one, only leads a department, while Drew is responsible for the entire company.

Paige smiles at him sympathetically. He barely manages to return the smile.

She’s a pretty girl. Dark eyes, and long, raven hair that looks striking on her fair skin. The funny thing is, she and her boss are as different as they can be. William has an aristocratic air about him (his surname ‘Regal’ couldn’t be more perfect), and Paige is like a gothic Snow White. But against all odds, they work together really well.

“Drew hasn’t left, has he? William wants to talk to him about the Cayman account,” she says.

“No, he’s inside.” William is one of the _very_ few people that Drew genuinely likes. Not even the majority of senior partners and shareholders have that privilege. He is Drew’s mentor, and everyone in the company and their mother know Drew will take William’s place as Magnolia Capital’s CEO once the latter retires in a couple of years.

“I gotta get going. See you later.” He’s only got less than forty minutes left—and he still need to get Drew’s coffee from the coffee shop one block away. Depending on the line, it can take fifteen minutes. Ten if he’s lucky.

Paige gives him a small nod as she waltzes across the room.

 

* * *

 

In the cafeteria, Seth didn’t expect to see the four colleagues he used to hang out with, ‘cause they normally have an earlier lunch break. The last time he saw them was nearly a month ago. A part of him wants to sit with them and catch up, but the other part hesitates. He knows what would happen if he joined them. But it’s too late; Billie spots him and waves her hand excitedly. Next to her, Peyton calls out in her squeaky voice, telling him to sit with them. _Oh well._

“Hey guys, why’re you having a late lunch?” Seth says, as soon as he sits down on the empty seat beside Tyler. He takes a bite of his cold cut sandwich, trying not to look at Tyler’s inviting duck salad. The crispy skin… _No, the sandwich will do._ There’s no time for anything else. Between the chewing and swallowing, he notices that the girls are watching him from across the table, with a smile on their faces.

They haven’t been working here for long. Both got transferred from the subsidiary company in Sydney four months ago, to fill some vacant positions in the Legal Finance Department.

“We had a meeting that was dragging on and on. You know how much Ethan loves listening to his own voice,” Billie replies, then her smile widens. “What about you, mate? Can’t stay away from your hot new boss now, can you?”

_Here we go._

Before Seth can say anything, Peyton beats him to it. Unsurprisingly. Those two talk like exploding firecrackers on Chinese New Year. “Drew is _so_ good looking, isn’t he? A little terrifying, but still very hot.” She gazes at Seth expectantly, as though waiting for him to confirm.

“Try again,” Seth says in between bites. The sooner they’re prepared to face reality the better. And if he has to be the one bursting their bubble, then be it. But there’s nothing worse than walking into the room, blinded by Drew’s deceiving beauty, only for him to give you _that_ look and stomp on your fragile, little heart. Been there, done that.

Peyton opens her mouth and shakes her head. “It can’t be that bad.”

Well, Seth didn’t think it would be that bad either when he started, even though a lot of people had warned him. He learned his lesson the hard way.

“Oh it is,” Xavier chimes in, pushing his empty plate away. Seth glances up at him. Good, at least he has back-up.

“You think it can’t be that bad? You think someone so beautiful cannot be cruel?” Xavier continues, being his normal, dramatic self. “Just wait until it’s your turn to be on the receiving end of his _deadly_ stare. Last week I was in a meeting with him and Jack Swagger from Mortgage, and man, didn’t he tear Jack to shreds for putting a wrong number on two loans’ collateral value. The poor guy went super pale, all colors being drained from his face. And he looked sick, like he’d thrown up any second. Thank goodness he didn’t.” He pauses, with flair, his gaze moving deliberately slow from Peyton to Billie. “Moral of the story: don’t cross Drew McIntyre. And don’t let his beauty fool you either.”

The girls exchange doubtful glances, but doubt is good; it’s better than being blinded.

Next to Seth, Tyler earnestly nods. “He’s drop-dead gorgeous, totally my type, but I’d rather do all Anderson & Co.’s accounts by myself than be in the same room as him,” he adds.

_Thank you, Tyler. And me, too.  
_

“That’s three now, you can’t say all of us are wrong,” Seth says.

“Yeah, but—“ Peyton trails off, can’t seem to find the words. Billie gives her a shrug when she turns to her for help.

As entertaining as this conversation has been, Seth has to go. He trusts Xavier and Tyler to do the job of replacing the girls’ rose-tinted glasses with black ones. For their own good. He picks up his tray and tells them goodbye. His friends say they hope to see him again soon, maybe get a drink after work.

“Whenever you can escape from your ivory tower,” Xavier jokes. _Yeah, very funny._

He manages to get the coffee and back with six minutes to spare. That’s pure luck. The elevator ride isn’t a problem. The sixty-fifth to sixty-eighth floors have their own private elevator, which can only be activated by a special keycard. Seth holds the cup with one hand, retrieving the keycard from his trousers’ pocket. But just as he’s about to scan it on the card reader, someone calls his name. Seth’s face automatically breaks into a smile when he sees who it is.

“Drew’s been keeping you busy?” Randy asks as he steps out from the corridor, his signature half-smirk ghosting on his lips.

A familiar sensation crawls in Seth’s stomach, closely followed by tingling warmth on his skin as old feelings are creeping back. It’s totally reckless to have a crush on your boss (now former), even more so when said boss is straight. But he can’t help it. If we could control our feeling and choose who to give our heart to, how easier life would be? There’d be no more messy break-ups, no unrequited loves; those stupidly painful things.

The crush isn’t a secret, pretty much. A lot of people have figured it out, especially because Seth’s not the most subtle person in the world. Maybe even Randy knows about it. But well... it doesn’t matter. It’s not like it would go anywhere.

“It’s my job. I don’t—” Seth replies diplomatically, but Randy cuts him off with a low snort.

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna tell him.” He smiles again, more conspiratorial this time. “You know what, Seth, I’m starting to regret giving you up to Drew. Zelina is fine, most of the time, when she’s not giving me too much attitude. But she isn’t you.”

What? Seth looks up at him, lips parted in bemusement. _Don’t read too much into it,_ his common sense tells him, _it’s Randy._ Yeah, Seth is fully aware of who Randy is. The company’s most opportunistic bastard, nobody even comes close. He cares about no one but himself, and will only do something if it benefits him in the long run. It was Randy himself who suggested to promote Seth to COO's personal assistant—when Drew’s previous one ran for the hills, _again_.

Now he’s probably tired of snarky Zelina and wishes he could have Seth back, _because_ Seth is a damn good assistant who always gets the job done. So far Drew hasn’t skinned him alive, yet, or kicked him to the curb. And God knows he won’t hesitate to do both, if Seth shows even one tiny sign of weakness.

Randy is smart and calculative, and you can say… manipulative. All those traits shouldn’t look sexy on him, but they do. And Seth always falls for the bad boys, though he should’ve known better.

“Can’t you take me back, then?”

Randy’s blue eyes bore into him as his smirk slowly deepens. “Don’t tempt me, Seth.”

Seth licks his lips that suddenly feel so dry, clutching Drew’s coffee in his hand. _Oh shit, Drew_. Pressing the elevator button, Seth almost runs inside when the door opens. He has—three minutes to make it back up.

“Sorry, I gotta go,” he blurts out, apologetically.

“It’s alright. Later.”

He has no time to ponder on what Randy told him, because the elevator ride goes fast and the door glides open on his floor before he knows it. Paige’s office is closed, meaning she and William have gone to a meeting somewhere. Seth keeps walking towards his, thinking he made it. But he stops dead in his tracks when he sees someone sitting on his chair.

_Fucking hell._

“At last. You kindly remember to show up, two minutes late.” Drew stands up, his movement looking impressively graceful for a man his size. “Get Bo Dallas up here.”

It takes a moment for Seth’s scrambled mind to register what he’s talking about. The last five minutes have been hectic, with the coffee shop run and bumping into Randy. Then his stomach sinks as it dawns on him. _Oh, no…_ There have been speculations that Bo Dallas from Marketing is gonna get the sack. Now it’s not a speculation anymore.

He has never worked with Bo, only heard that he made some serious error that has costed the firm a pretty penny. So, it’s not unexpected news, and the guy probably deserves it. But still, he can’t watch somebody being fired and not feeling anything at all.

“Are you going to do it or do I need to ask someone else?” Drew says again, fixing his sharp gaze on him. As usual, his face is devoid of any visible emotion. “And try not to look as if someone has died. We’re not running a charity. If you’re not good enough, then you shouldn’t be here.”

Seth stares at him.

 _Seriously,_ w _hat is this man made of?_ He bites his tongue before he launches himself into a rant about human empathy. Must be a foreign concept to a person without a heart. But sadly, it’s not worth losing his job for.

“Your coffee. I’ll be right back,” he murmurs, almost giving in to the temptation to spill the hot coffee onto Drew’s hand. How satisfying it would be. As he steps back into the elevator, he recalls his conversation with Randy not even ten minutes ago.

_If only._

Sighing soundly, Seth scans his keycard and presses 31 on the panel.

 


	2. Human Nature

There’s nothing a hot shower can’t fix.

Well, _almost_ nothing. He already feels much better than when he got home half an hour ago, dead tired and ravenous. The latter is still unchanged, mind you, but it shouldn’t take long for the food to arrive.

Gently rubbing his damp hair with a towel, Seth steps out of the bathroom and straight to the kitchen. He misses making dinner, and cooking in general to be honest. He’s quite good at it. His mom made sure Seth and his brother Brandon learned how to cook, so that they wouldn’t starve in college. But lately when he gets home from work he just wants to crash into bed and sleep for a thousand years. He’s lived off takeout food for the last couple of months (whoever invented it is a genius), though it’s something his mom doesn’t need to know.

The buzzer rings when he picks up some plates from the cupboard. Great, it must be his food. This restaurant isn’t the best Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood, but they deliver the fastest. Their spareribs and dumplings aren’t bad at all, but the honey BBQ shrimp is a big letdown.

He opens the door and sees a pale, blond boy carrying four heavy-looking plastic bags. It’s not the boy who had been here twice. Seth has never seen this one before. The big nose ring is the first thing that catches Seth’s eye, followed by the similar piercings on his left ear, lower lip and right eyebrow. The metal glints conspicuously under the lamp. He thrusts all the bags into Seth’s hands before Seth can open his mouth.

“Forty-six dollars and seventy-five cents.” The boy’s voice is flat and monotone, deeper than he thought it would be.

What? Seth stares at him, down at the bags in his hands, then back to him. “I didn’t order all this stuff. Just noodles, four dumplings, and spareribs.”

The boy already looks bored by the conversation. His gaze keeps darting to the hallway, like he can’t wait to be out of here. “Sorry, man, there must be a mix-up in the kitchen. You can call the restaurant to complain if you want, but it’s easier to just pay and eat it. It’s food,” he replies, clearly making no move to take them back. Nor does he sound sorry in the slightest.

Any other day Seth would call the restaurant and complain about the incompetence, saying this would be the last time he ordered something from them. Then he would tell the boy to take everything back and scram. But he’s not gonna argue with a teenager who doesn’t give a damn. Seth deals with enough people every day to know when he’s fighting a losing battle. And he’s fucking hungry.

“Fine, just this once,” he grumbles. That’s 30 extra dollars he could’ve used for something else. He pays in cash and the boy is out of his sight in two seconds flat.

As soon as he cracks the containers open, it’s obvious he’s got way too much food. Fucking hell. There are dumplings, fried rice, barbecue shrimp, omelet, spareribs, noodles, _and_ beef and broccoli. Now what should he do with them? Suppose he could eat some and save the rest for tomorrow, but a lot of these stuff won’t taste as good after a night in the refrigerator. And he probably won’t want them tomorrow, considering he’s had enough Chinese this week.

He glances at the clock. 7.41 PM is late for dinner, his neighbors must’ve eaten. But for as long as Seth’s known the girls, they never say no to food. And they’re not gonna start now.

Sasha’s purple hair greets him as she opens the door. “Hey, Seth, what’s up?” she asks, with a grin on her face.

“You know that Chinese restaurant in Myrtle Avenue? they did a number mix-up and I ended up with enough food to feed the entire building,” he says, shaking his head. “You guys wanna help me eat it?”

She jokingly rolls her eyes and walks back inside, leaving the door ajar. “Do you have to ask?” Seth can hear her voice talking to her roommate. Five minutes later they’re all sitting around the kitchen island, eating directly from the containers as they talk about their day.

Sasha works as a hairdresser in Queens—as if her long, purple hair doesn’t give her away already. She met Bayley three years ago when her old roommate moved out to live with her boyfriend, and the two of them just clicked. Bayley is a middle school teacher. Her sweetheart personality somehow meshes together with Sasha’s bossy attitude. But they’re nice girls. They always water Seth’s plants and keep his posts for him when he’s on business trips.

“Dude, stop texting already. The food’s getting cold.” Sasha nudges Bayley’s side with her super pointy elbow.

Barely nudges her back without looking up. “Elias won’t get off his phone. He’s been complaining about this new singer for a week,” she says. “From what he told me, she sounds awful and full of herself.”

Sasha doesn’t conceal her snort. She picks up a big shrimp with her chopsticks and bites into it. “That sounds rich coming from him.” This time Bayley looks up and softly sighs. But she doesn’t deny it.

Seth follows their exchange with interest as he’s chewing on his dumpling. It’s no secret that Sasha despises Bayley’s boyfriend Elias. It’s not that surprising. From what he’s seen the guy is a total douchebag. He constantly stands Bayley up when they’ve agreed to go out, and he never shuts up about the famous people he worked with. Just a minute after meeting him, Seth found out he is a session musician in Hell’s Kitchen, and that he’s worked with the likes of Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Bob Dylan.

“How was your day? Your sexy boss is still being oh-so-horrible to you?” Bayley turns her attention to Seth. She and Sasha have never met Drew, but they saw a picture of him in Forbes a couple of weeks ago and thought he’s gorgeous (what’s new?). Sasha even said she’d do him if she were into dudes.

“Horrible isn’t a strong enough word. Try unbearable,” he replies, opening the noodle container. “Today he fired a guy in cold blood, like he was just telling him the sky is blue. The poor guy was so shaken that I had to comfort him all the way down to his floor. It’s the longest elevator ride in my entire life.”

He still remembers Bo’s blotchy face and swollen eyes, and how he soaked the front of Seth’s jacket with his tears. Seth could do nothing but nod and listen, feeling incredibly bad.

“Maybe he’s horrible because he’s lonely,” Bayley muses. Ah, sweet girl, always trying to look for the good in people. But in this case it’s wishful thinking.

Seth shrugs. “Or maybe he’s just an asshole.”

She looks like she wants to protest but then decides against it. Sasha, meanwhile, has turned her attention back to the succulent beef and broccoli. Yeah, good idea. Let’s not ruin dinner by talking about Seth’s boss, whom he’ll have to see again in less than twelve hours. Unfortunately.

 

* * *

 

Those twelve hours pass way too quickly. Seth was so drained that he went to bed right after Sasha and Bayley returned to their apartment, declining their offer to watch The Punisher on Netflix. But as soon as he lay in bed, sleep just wouldn’t come. What Randy said wouldn’t leave his mind, swirling around like never-ending waves.

Did he really want him back? And if so why didn’t he tell Seth earlier? This whole thing is his idea. Drew could’ve easily hired someone new; he’s done it plenty of times before. Did Randy just tell Seth what he thought Seth wanted to hear? It’s Randy Orton we’re talking about.

Theoretically, Seth could get his old position back—if both Drew and Randy agreed. Drew has gone through more assistants than anyone in the management combined, one more person wouldn’t make any difference. But for Seth it would be a demotion, and which employee in their right mind would do that? _And losing all the extra money._

When his alarm went off at half past six, it felt like he hadn’t slept a blink.

Paige isn’t there when Seth arrives, but her schedule is much more erratic than his. Also William travels a lot. The light in Drew’s office means he’s already inside, and it’s not even eight o’clock. No matter how early Seth is (one time, he arrived before seven), Drew is always there before him.

Drew moved to Tribeca from Upper East Side a couple of months ago, literally a five-minute drive from the financial district. Honestly, Seth has never seen someone so rich working so hard. _And for what exactly?_ What’s the point in making that much money and not enjoying it? His new penthouse apartment must’ve cost millions and his Jaguar is such a beauty, yet he spends most of his time here or having a meeting. So boring. And he’s only what, thirty-four?

People would expect someone like him to be more vibrant and adventurous, maybe a little scandalous. But Drew’s personal life is as exciting as dry paint. No lovers, no affairs, nothing—at least not that Seth knows of. And as his personal assistant he’d _know_.

Seth knows exactly when Randy started to two-time his then girlfriend Stacy last year. With a girl from The Bronx called Melina, whose favorite flower is red carnation. Seth knows when her birthday is; he booked a suite in The Peninsula for her and Randy that weekend. Randy used to sleep around a lot, charming girls left and right, moving on to a new one when they got attached. Suppose he still does. After he broke up with Stacy there were Michelle and Layla—who were friends—then Nikki, Emma, Torrie... who had a husband. The list goes on. But the most ridiculous thing is, unlike those girls Seth knew all that and he still wanted Randy. Feelings aren’t just blind. They’re stupid too.

Of course Seth feels bad for them, ‘cause nobody deserves to be used. He won’t condone what Randy did, ever. But his hands are tied. Personal assistants keep their boss’ secrets, and make sure they remain that way.

But it’s not the case with Drew. So far, the only personal thing Seth found out about him is that he likes his coffee black. _Yeah, scandalous._

When his computer is ready, he checks the inbox. 79 new emails have come since he logged off yesterday evening. Here we go, what better way to start a day than to read one hundred emails? He exhales soundly and begins to type away responses, scheduling some meetings after checking Drew’s calendar, and forwarding a few important ones to Drew’s personal account. He quickly gets in the zone, having done this every day in three years it’s become second nature. Even though Drew gets three times as many emails as Randy.

His morning routine is interrupted when the phone rings. The code on the display shows it’s an internal call from Mortgage. “Hello.”

“Seth, it’s Bianca,” the voice says. “Drew asked for the documents from the Lewis account, I’m sending Chad up.” She hangs up before Seth can response, but he doesn’t take offense. That’s how she is with everyone: firm and straightforward. If they needed more information they could always call her back.

All the office messengers and mail clerks have a master keycard that can access every elevator in the building, so Seth doesn’t need to get Chad. It only takes five minutes before he shows up with the papers. His wavy brown hair is a little disheveled, a damp lock sticking to his forehead. Seth stifles a chuckle.

“Did you run all the way up from the basement or what?” he teases, pushing his chair back.

Chad gives him a half grin, half grimace. “Don’t want your boss to chew me out for being two minutes late like last time.”

That’s true, nobody wants to be on the receiving end of Drew’s icy wrath, it’s not the most pleasant experience. And Seth doesn’t need it this early. Chad hands him the documents before going back to the elevator. After he left, Seth walks to Drew’s office while going through the folder, making sure it has all the correct papers. He looks up as he reaches the desk, feeling a familiar sensation in his stomach that he wishes would go away already.

Drew is sitting behind his desk as usual, wearing a white shirt, charcoal tie, and a dark gray waistcoat that accentuates his strong chest. Seth blinks and averts his eyes to the shelf behind Drew. _Come on, get a grip._ But the man is gorgeous beyond belief. It’s like someone had taken every wet dream that Seth had and molded it into a person. So it’s not rocket science that his body reacts to him this way, while his mind can't stand him. There's no logical explanation to lust, ain't it?

When seconds pass and he hasn’t been scolded for wasting time, Seth’s gaze slowly flickers back. Drew is staring at the screen of his laptop, except… he’s not really looking at it. His blue eyes are blank, his face more expressionless than usual—Seth didn’t know it was possible. Something feels off. He doesn’t seem to notice Seth in the room, and Drew notices _everything_.

Seth watches him for another moment, clutching the folder in his hand. “Drew?” he starts tentatively. “Here are the documents from the Lewis account. Bianca said you wanted them.”

Slowly, Drew lifts his gaze and looks at him. Seth places the folder on the desk then takes a step back.

“Thanks,” Drew replies, his voice low and—soft. He flips the folder open and takes the paper on top. But again he's not really looking at it.

Seth stares at him from where he’s standing, isn’t sure what to make of it. It’s perplexing. Drew that he knows would already make a sarcastic remark of why he’s still here. Unlike this… non-prickly individual that Seth doesn’t recognize.

“And there’s the lunch meeting with Mr. Bourne at Solitude at eleven o’clock. We need to leave soon,” he says again. There are still one and a half hours to the meeting, but never underestimate the Manhattan traffic. And Drew absolutely hates being late. At least the one that Seth knows does.

“I’ll be ready,” Drew replies without looking up.

Seth nods and mumbles an ‘okay’. He’s still wants to know why Drew is acting weird, but he can’t stay here any longer. Curiosity killed the cat. Who knows when Drew will snap out of his weird daze and return to his usual frosty self? Although now Seth isn’t sure which one he’d prefer. It’s nice not to be told off once in a while. Giving his boss one more glance, Seth backs away and gently closes the door behind him.

 

* * *

 

True to his word, Drew is ready for the meeting half an hour later. In the car Drew sits at the back, and Seth in the passenger seat. Seth adores this black Jaguar a lot. If only he was allowed to drive it, even just once. Soon he and Sam, the driver, fall into a conversation about football.

“You were so mad when the Fins beat the Bears last season,” Sam points out with a grin as he navigates the car through traffic. His team is Miami Dolphins, although he’s from DC.

“A win from a last second 47-yard field goal in the overtime? It’s _us_ giving the game away, dude,” Seth retorts. He always heats up easily when it comes to football. Sam shakes his head, but he keeps his eyes on the road like the good driver that he is.

Seth turns towards him—about to make another scathing remark—when he catches Drew in his peripheral vision. Automatically, he closes his mouth. Drew doesn’t have a high opinion about football. He has chastised them both for arguing in the car before. That buzzkill. But Drew isn’t looking at him. He stares outside the window, with the same faraway look on his face. Dropping all discretion, Seth watches him over his shoulder. He can’t help it; Drew looks even better without that ice mask he usually wears. He actually looks... human.

_Stop that dangerous thought at once._

Blinking, Seth snaps himself out of it and turns his head back to the sea of yellow taxis in front of them. He notices Sam glancing at him then giving him a small shrug. At least Seth isn’t the only one who notices their boss’ odd behavior.

Drew climbs out after Sam stops the car in the restaurant’s parking lot. As soon as he disappears into the building, Seth turns to the driver. “You also notice something’s wrong, right? He hasn’t scolded me at all, it’s not normal.”

“Yeah, he was awfully quiet this morning. And he seemed—“ Sam pauses, trying to find the right word.

“Distracted?”

Sam nods quickly. “Exactly, distracted.”

Seth still wants to talk to him, but he has to get inside for the meeting. Making sure he’s got everything in his briefcase, most importantly his tablet and the contract, he hurries along the walkway into Solitude.

In the lobby that’s entirely made up of modern black and white furniture, Drew is waiting for him with a waiter, his face impossible to read. The waiter gives Seth a friendly smile, then starts walking towards one of the private spaces. Drew beckons him to follow, doesn’t comment on Seth being late—much to his dismay. But he has no time to dwell on it, because Evan Bourne and his assistant have waited for them at the table.

The assistant, Justin Gabriel, is a young man about Seth’s age. Although he’s far more talkative than him. Remembering all the phone conversations he had with Bourne, Seth thinks they couldn’t be even more perfect together.

As they sit down after a round of greetings, worry starts to creep in Seth’s chest. He glances at his boss next to him, who’s listening to the waiter’s beverage recommendation. Drew starts to look more like himself, but what if his attention is still diverted? Will he be able to focus on closing the deal? Bourne & Associates is a pretty big fish; they’re among the biggest law firms on the east coast.

“Your proposal is appealing, Mr. McIntyre, but an interest rate of forty percent? Our source confirmed that some other companies offer close to a thirty percent rate,” Bourne says, after the waiter noted down their order and left. “Your company’s reputation is impeccable, but we must take the high interest rate into consideration.”

Drew puts his hand on the table and straightens out his black napkin in an effortless motion. Seth has to peel his gaze away from the long fingers, averting it to Bourne across the table, who seems to be as fascinated by Drew’s hand as Seth is.

“I understand. Our interest rate is on the higher end indeed, but it’s not unreasonable,” Drew says, voice perfectly calm and confident—with no trace of the distraction. “As you know, our investment is non-recourse, meaning we’re only compensated if the litigation is successful. We have to be selective, and risk-management is something we take very seriously, for the clients’ sake as much as ours. I can assure you that the other companies suggesting lower rates most likely don’t.” Each word is more pronounced in his distinct Scottish accent. He looks at Bourne, then his assistant, giving them a faint smile as though letting his words sink in. “Moreover, any experienced financial firm would also offer asset recovery, considering it’s an all-too-common problem.”

Seth realizes that he’s staring at him, his tablet lying forgotten on the table. But he can’t stop. He’s not the only one, though. Bourne looks like he’s about to propose to Drew any minute, utterly mesmerized. And his assistant isn’t that much different.

_Hook, line, and sinker._

Yeah, it’s stupid of Seth to doubt Drew’s ability to be convincing—distracted or not. He’s not Magnolia Capital’s future CEO for nothing. By the time the waiter comes back with their appetizer, a deal has been made.

 

* * *

 

“That was impressive. I didn’t think he’d give in so easily when he mentioned interest rate,” Seth blurts out, before he thinks the better of it. Bourne and Justin left a couple of minutes ago, still beaming and spellbound. “Because that’s the thing he kept mentioning in his emails—and on the phone.”

Drew gracefully rises from his chair. “It’s human nature to fear risks,” he comments. “Interest rate in litigation funding is high due to a number of reasons, such as the non-recourse loan, and the long period of the lawsuit. It’s something that we can’t change. Instead, I offered him the thing that he’d find appealing.”

“And it makes the high rate seem more justified,” Seth adds.

“Precisely.” He starts to walk towards the door, and Seth follows him. “He’s not going to bother you in the morning anymore. Now he’s Randy and Sheamus’ problem.”

Seth can’t stop himself from grinning. Drew looks at him for a moment as they reach the parking lot, one corner of his lips curving slightly upwards with a hint of dimples. It must be the closest thing to a smile Seth’s ever got from him.

In the car, Drew takes his place in the backseat, turning his head to the window. He doesn’t seem as absent-minded as before, but the distant look is returning. Seth tells himself to look straight ahead and let him be, fighting this weird urge to stare. _What’s wrong with you? You can’t stand him,_ he scolds himself. So instead, he starts talking to Sam in a low voice about the benefits of electric cars.

A few moments later he jerks in surprise when Drew’s phone rings, just as the car halts at a red light.

“Allie,” Drew answers the call.

Allie? His sister? Seth remembers Paige telling him about her.

Drew is quiet as he listens to the woman on the other side of the line. Seth can’t help stealing glances at him. He’s never heard Drew talk to anyone from his family before, it’s too good too pass. And it isn’t eavesdropping if Drew can see him, right? Curiosity is also human nature.

“It’s not like I have a say about it,” Drew says again, now sounding annoyed. Then he goes quiet again as Allie says something that Seth can’t hear. “If it was up to me, no. You know exactly why I don’t want him here.”

_Him?_

“No, it’s not for you to decide, Allie.” This time he sounds resigned, and tired. From his peripheral vision, Seth can see his expression growing more and more somber as he listens to whatever his sister is telling him. When he speaks again, there’s finality in his voice that Seth is all too familiar with. “He can. But it won’t change anything.”

Seth suppresses a frown, but it’s not an easy thing to do. Who is this person they’re talking about? Is he the reason why Drew was distracted all day? And how? _A lot of questions._

He’s so deep in the thought that he doesn’t notice Drew has stopped talking. He looks up—and finding Drew watching him. Seth blinks, too taken aback to look away. Drew’s blue eyes have regained their cold intensity, the preoccupation gone without a trace.

“I’ll call you back,” Drew tells her, ending the call. Seth realizes the car has stopped in the basement. He straightens up and unbuckles his seatbelt. In the back, Drew has opened the door and once again out of the car without saying anything. Seth exchanges glances with Sam, who looks as bewildered as he does.

Maybe Drew’s personal life isn’t as boring as he thought, after all.

 


End file.
